Stung by KCR’s silence, several Maha BRS leaders exiting party

Hyderabad: Shocked with the silence of BRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao at the crucial juncture of Lok Sabha elections, several Maharashtra leaders are deserting the party alleging ‘directionless and lacking vision’;also no plan for political alliance and campaign.

The leaders question why they were made to pay for party activities when there were no plan of expansion in the State. KCR seems to be not keen to continue politics in neighbouring States. Sources say he was not giving time to leaders from other States, especially after the setback in the Assembly elections. Worried about the future, several Maharashtra leaders tried to meet the BRS chief through the in-charge of the party Vamshidhar Rao, but they never got any appointment.

Senior leader and Beed district convener Dileep Gore wrote to KCR expressing his unhappiness over the latter’s silence. He said while the other parties were actively preparing for the LS elections finalising candidates, there was no meeting either in Maharashtra or in Hyderabad regarding alliance and poll strategies, which has left the party leaders in a state of uncertainty. “With the BRS leadership in Maharashtra directionless and lacking vision, and with no clear plan for political alliance and election campaigns, I feel compelled to take the decision of resignation,” said Gore.

A Maharashtra BRS leader expressed displeasure over the party not being serious in the State. He sent a voice message to the BRS leadership. Referring to the Maharashtra in-charge, he said, “you called me Hyderabad overnight and forced me to take up membership and form committees. The leaders like Shankar Anna Dhondge, Manik Kadam made us work day in and day out. I enrolled 36,300 members.”

The leader said those who had joined the party were coming to his house asking what happened to the promises made like bringing Telangana model to Maharashtra. “I worked with hundreds of leaders when KCR came to Pandharpur. If you wanted to make fix me, you could have told me this before. We came from other party. What to do now? You don’t call us; neither you receive our calls. Is this your party's system? Who will pay for my loss? With folded hands I request you to give a reply. We need a result and reply for this,” he said. Sources said several leaders have already left; several others were in line to shift loyalties with the party’s silence.